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NO IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF FRENCH ARMENIAN BILL
By Ali Ihsan Aydin
Zaman Online, Turkey
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
A bill that would penalize those refusing the so-called Armenian
genocide in France will be discussed Thursday in the French Parliament.
The bill, a major project of the Armenian Diaspora, is expected
to easily pass the parliamentary vote due to France's approaching
presidential elections.
The majority of deputies from the ruling UMP (Union for a Popular
Movement) who do not support the bill will abstain from voting to
prevent a possible backlash from Armenian voters.
A likely scenario is that the 30-40 deputies who backed the bill in
2001 will join the voting session.
Before Thursday's critical assembly, the consensus in Paris is that
most of the French MPs want the bill to pass to appease the Armenians,
but they do not approve its implementation.
The draft bill submitted by the main opposition Socialist Party (PS)
calls for up to five years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros for
anyone who denies the purported Armenian genocide.
Not content with the French law in 2001 that stated France openly
"recognized the 1915 Armenian genocide," Armenians have been pressuring
French politicians since then for a new law to penalize those rebuffing
the so-called genocide.
Deputies from both ruling and opposition parties in close ties with
Armenians had prepared four bills in recent years.
However, these bills stalled at the parliamentary bureau.
In May 2006, the Socialists used their right for the first time to
determine the agenda, allocated to political parties in proportion
to the number of deputies, and submitted the bill prepared by Deputy
Didier Migaud to the parliament.
The bill did not pass as Parliamentary Speaker Jean-Louis Debre, who
opposes "politicians writing down history" interrupted the session
twice, dropping the bill from the parliamentary agenda.
French historians, speaking out against passing a bill on a historical
issue and issuing a notice, made some attempts in parliament to
prevent the bill from passing.
The Socialists, however, following pressure from the Armenians,
used their right to determine a special agenda for a second time and
brought the draft to the parliament again.
Blocked in May, the bill is predicted to pass quite easily this time.
The Socialists want to send a political message to the nearly 400,000
Armenians in France at the threshold of elections.
Most of the ruling UMP deputies not supporting the bill will not join
in tomorrow's vote.
The UMP Parliamentary Group Chairmanship did not issue a group decision
regarding the bill, leaving the deputies free to vote as they see fit.
A majority vote in the general assembly is required for the bill
to pass.
There were nearly 30 deputies at the general assembly during the
genocide recognition vote 2001.
The UMP has 364 seats and the PS 150 seats in the 577-seat French
Assembly.
The bill may still be rejected by the senate or vetoed by French
President Jacques Chirac
If the bill is passed in the parliament Thursday, it must also be
passed in the senate for full approval.
Pointing out that the bill may wait its turn at the senate dependant
on the order of agenda set by the government, parliamentary officials
recall the opposing attitude of the government and say the bill may
remain pending for a long time.
The bill must be passed in the senate in the same form as in the
assembly, and in the event that minor amendments are made in the text
it will be resent to the assembly, a process that risks being lengthy.
If bill is passed in the senate, it must be signed by the president
for its implementation.
Chirac may send the draft back to the parliament for a second
examination.
Though there are various views on the bill's conformity with
the constitution, no party would likely refer the bill to the
Constitutional Council.
From: Baghdasarian
By Ali Ihsan Aydin
Zaman Online, Turkey
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
A bill that would penalize those refusing the so-called Armenian
genocide in France will be discussed Thursday in the French Parliament.
The bill, a major project of the Armenian Diaspora, is expected
to easily pass the parliamentary vote due to France's approaching
presidential elections.
The majority of deputies from the ruling UMP (Union for a Popular
Movement) who do not support the bill will abstain from voting to
prevent a possible backlash from Armenian voters.
A likely scenario is that the 30-40 deputies who backed the bill in
2001 will join the voting session.
Before Thursday's critical assembly, the consensus in Paris is that
most of the French MPs want the bill to pass to appease the Armenians,
but they do not approve its implementation.
The draft bill submitted by the main opposition Socialist Party (PS)
calls for up to five years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros for
anyone who denies the purported Armenian genocide.
Not content with the French law in 2001 that stated France openly
"recognized the 1915 Armenian genocide," Armenians have been pressuring
French politicians since then for a new law to penalize those rebuffing
the so-called genocide.
Deputies from both ruling and opposition parties in close ties with
Armenians had prepared four bills in recent years.
However, these bills stalled at the parliamentary bureau.
In May 2006, the Socialists used their right for the first time to
determine the agenda, allocated to political parties in proportion
to the number of deputies, and submitted the bill prepared by Deputy
Didier Migaud to the parliament.
The bill did not pass as Parliamentary Speaker Jean-Louis Debre, who
opposes "politicians writing down history" interrupted the session
twice, dropping the bill from the parliamentary agenda.
French historians, speaking out against passing a bill on a historical
issue and issuing a notice, made some attempts in parliament to
prevent the bill from passing.
The Socialists, however, following pressure from the Armenians,
used their right to determine a special agenda for a second time and
brought the draft to the parliament again.
Blocked in May, the bill is predicted to pass quite easily this time.
The Socialists want to send a political message to the nearly 400,000
Armenians in France at the threshold of elections.
Most of the ruling UMP deputies not supporting the bill will not join
in tomorrow's vote.
The UMP Parliamentary Group Chairmanship did not issue a group decision
regarding the bill, leaving the deputies free to vote as they see fit.
A majority vote in the general assembly is required for the bill
to pass.
There were nearly 30 deputies at the general assembly during the
genocide recognition vote 2001.
The UMP has 364 seats and the PS 150 seats in the 577-seat French
Assembly.
The bill may still be rejected by the senate or vetoed by French
President Jacques Chirac
If the bill is passed in the parliament Thursday, it must also be
passed in the senate for full approval.
Pointing out that the bill may wait its turn at the senate dependant
on the order of agenda set by the government, parliamentary officials
recall the opposing attitude of the government and say the bill may
remain pending for a long time.
The bill must be passed in the senate in the same form as in the
assembly, and in the event that minor amendments are made in the text
it will be resent to the assembly, a process that risks being lengthy.
If bill is passed in the senate, it must be signed by the president
for its implementation.
Chirac may send the draft back to the parliament for a second
examination.
Though there are various views on the bill's conformity with
the constitution, no party would likely refer the bill to the
Constitutional Council.
From: Baghdasarian